What’s your LoKoL?

Share:

LoKoL Klothing is a Canadian lifestyle clothing brand designed specifically with the customer in mind. Designed in Canada, they offer stylish and fashion forward designs, to retro classics. In true Canadian style the brand is inspired to connect and celebrate individual communities. They understand that everyone is proud of their “LoKoL”. LoKoL supports a wide variety of clients and sponsors athletes, musicians and community events/charities.

LoKoL has undergone a lot of changes over the last 12 months, restructuring the business to bring in the community aspect they were searching for. In doing this they are appealing to a much broader consumer base, through the use of their social media pages Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, snapchat and LinkedIn. Engaging customers on a more personal level and gaining a new insight into product development.

Social Media has been a game changer for LoKoL with testing new designs and gauging interest in new products. It allows them to reach their core audience and most loyal customers and gives them the ability to have input on new designs. In essence, they are collaborating with their end customer, which lowers their risk as a brand from a cost perspective but also allows their followers to feel more emotionally connected to the brand.

I asked LoKoL Klothing Partner, Curtis Scaplen, how does LoKoL interact with customers to get insight into new product development? Mr Scaplen’s extensive knowledge of LoKoL’s social media was evident when replying, “Having 3 partners with different backgrounds brings a lot of creativity to the table, and we rely a lot on each others strengths. Through the use of our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, we use quick polls with voting yes or no, or comment using specific hashtags to get real time customer input on new designs. Also we have had brainstorming sessions with some close customers to get feedback.”

LoKoL have also capitalized on an amazing opportunity for a collaboration with Stanfield’s, who are well known in the Clothing industry for having very high quality Canadian made products. With this product collaboration LoKoL’s individual Canadian community outlook is enhanced by Stanfield’s proud Canadian history. “We wanted to collaborate (LoKoL) with a Made in Canada solution…Stanfield’s has over 160 years of making premium quality products in their factory in Truro, NS” They are now benefiting from the use of Stanfield’s social media as well as their own to help promote, design and distribute the product and the brand.

Amazingly, LoKoL’s product development and design strategies were inspired by a media campaign from Lays Chips “do us a Flavour” contest, where customers entered their own flavour of potato chip for a chance to become one of Lays newest flavours in their vast varieties of chips. This use of marketing through social media adds a whole other level to customer involvement in product development. Refer to Audio file from Curtis Scaplen below.

With the Launch of their new look LoKoL Klothing website, they continue to provide their customers with great new designs across a variety of apparel. With the amount of community input pouring in, LoKoL have listened and acted, and will continue to produce quality community designed gear for customers all over Canada.

Lessons for Others

The use of Social media to help with product development and also design is evolving. As businesses start to grow from a small town company to a well known brand name so to do their social media strategies. Involving customers to not only be a part of product choice but designing a product that appeals to a broader range of consumers, gives companies a distinct advantage allowing them insight into what the broader consumer base is searching for.